Camp Josh receives food plot funding

ONTONAGON — The state of Michigan has awarded Camp Josh a grant under the Upper Peninsula Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative.

Under the partnership agreement, Camp Josh will construct a 3.4-acre food plot on the 40-acre parcel that it owns on the LP Walsh road in Ontonagon Township. The state will fund $4,876 and Camp Josh will fund $3,260 of the $8,136 project cost.

A very wet spring caused some delay in the initial clearing of the land, however, workers were able to get the tree stumps removed and bulldoze the site. The plot has three sections which are 150 feet by 400 feet.

With site preparations now completed, soil testing is being conducted and the results will determine how much lime and fertilizer will be spread.

Steve Store is one of the members of the Camp Josh board of directors. He and his son will bring in his tractor, double-bottom plow, tandem-disk tiller, seeder, lime/fertilizer and spreader to help with the project. He has a background in planting such feeding areas.

“The deer prefer the Ladino clover over the red, but the red clover puts more nitrogen into the soil for better growth,” he said. “In six weeks, our plot will be 14 inches tall and stay that way into November with regular cutting and spaying with liquid fertilizer.”

Mark Pierpont is the project manager for the Camp Josh project.

“We are very happy to get this grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources,” Pierpont said. “It will be a big help for the deer herd and will also provide blinds for the handicapped to enjoy our great outdoors.”